Stardate 20011220.0703 (On Screen): In the end, all forms of government derive their mandate from the governed, even if it is as a negative (we're not sufficiently angry about it to rise up in revolt). The form of a government cannot really be imposed from outside, and any attempt to do so will ultimately fail. Yet Robert Scheer wants us to do exactly that in Afghanistan: not merely to kick the Taliban out, but to rebuild Afghanistan in our own image afterwards. Not only would this be the height of arrogance, but futile too.
The only way that the new government in Afghanistan can succeed is if it is created by the Afghans, to serve Afghan needs, and to do so in a manner that Afghans expect. The last time someone tried to impose a government on Afghanistan, the attempt resulted in 9 years of bloody warfare. There are a lot of things which it would be nice if the new Afghan government included -- but what's desirable and what's possible don't always have a large intersection. Secularism comes with rising commercial success: if, over the course of 20 years, we can establish a strong market economy there then secularism will come of its own accord. But any attempt to impose it from outside will simply set off yet another civil war. (discuss)
